The importance and benefits of music in end-of-life care are well known. But now the first playlist curated by people nearing the end of their lives has revealed the songs that people find helpful.
Frank Sinatra’s My Way and the Beatles’ Hey Jude are among the most popular songs chosen by terminally ill people to accompany them in their final moments, research has suggested.
Over The Rainbow by Judy Garland and Whitney Houston’s version of I Will Always Love You also appeared on the list, compiled by Marie Curie from 1,000 UK adults whose loved ones had experienced end-of-life care.
Music therapy is often used to help relieve symptoms, such as pain, fatigue and sleep disturbance, that can be common at the end of life.
The Marie Curie research found music could play a “vital role in end-of-life care for many”, with 84% of those polled agreeing that music relaxed and calmed their loved ones, and six in 10 saying it had helped ease anxiety and emotional distress.
Other benefits included creating a shared experience that brought them closer, the creation of a sense of normalcy and helping to distract the dying person from physical symptoms of their illness.
Dr Tracey McConnell, a music therapy expert and honorary Marie Curie senior research fellow at Queen’s University Belfast, said: “Terminal illness, pain and the fear of dying can result in feelings of powerlessness and isolation, even with close family and friends.
“Music therapy can help people express their feelings and make them feel better, whatever their health or emotional situation.”
The charity released the playlist of the most popular songs as it published a separate report on people’s priorities for how they would like to experience their final months, weeks and days.
Marie Curie said the vast majority (83%) of the 10,500 adults polled for its Public Attitudes to Death, Dying and Bereavement in the UK Revisited (PaddUK) report felt quality of life was more important than length of life when seriously ill.
The end-of-life-care charity said people stated their wishes to be free of pain in the last days of their lives (38%) and more than half (56%) said they would prefer to die at home.
The charity said people’s hopes often differed from the “stark reality”, pointing to research it published last month, which found one-third of dying people in England and Wales were severely or overwhelmingly affected by pain in the last week of life.
Jan Palmer, a Marie Curie nurse based in Cardiff and the Vale, said the research showed “what’s most important to dying people”.
She said: “It’s certainly no surprise that quality of life is central – with being free of pain, being able to maintain dignity and self-respect, and being surrounded by loved ones topping the list.
“This rings true with what my colleagues and I hear every day from the people we support, whether that’s in the hospice, in people’s own homes or on the support line.
“What is deeply concerning is how often these basic needs aren’t met. Everyone deserves the best possible palliative and end-of-life care, no matter who they are and where they live.”
The top 10 songs
My Way – Frank Sinatra
I Will Always Love You – Whitney Houston
(Simply) The Best – Tina Turner
Over The Rainbow – Judy Garland
Girls Just Want to Have Fun – Cyndi Lauper
Angels – Robbie Williams
What A Wonderful World – Louis Armstrong
Beautiful – Christina Aguilera
Hey Jude – The Beatles
These Are The Days Of Our Lives – Queen
